♦ A few years ago, I was discussing the oil situation with someone; the news was reporting that OPEC was increasing production, and the person with whom I was conversing asserted that OPEC was trying to drive U.S. oil companies out of business by driving the price below the point at which U.S. oil companies could produce oil profitably. Well, if that was so, the tactic hasn’t worked. Efficiencies and technologies developed by U.S. fracking operations has allowed U.S. oil companies to remain profitable even at and below $50 a barrel.